Coffee

After hours of reading at the National Library, I was feeling famished and did not want to eat at food court. I wanted to sit down laid back style sans the crowd. I was sauntering, out and about, and saw this unassuming cafe. From afar, it looks like a store of some sort but a tiny banner gave it away and I went it.

I find the interior very appealling. Not very lavish or complicated, but it is seriously cute! =)) The ordering station seems like it was taken out of a truck container with crates on it then a display of artisinal ice cream assortments! They seem to be famous for waffles, I wasn’t sure, but given the smell, it was just too inviting not to give in. I did.

I am not a dessert person and not really a sweet tooth, so I opted out of ice cream on top of waffles thingy and simply ordered the “Spectacular” which is a fluffy and crispy snowflake shaped waffle served with delicious spread of crunchy caramelized gingerbread. Same with waffles, not a fan of it, but this one was an exception. It was really good. I think I finished it in 10 minutes. (yes, right, remember I was famished?). It wasn’t too sweet and the waffle itself wasn’t too dry. Their coffee was equally nice too.

This place is not just cute and instagram worthy but it serves honestly good waffles. I can come back here again. 🙂

If you have been following my blog or if lucky me, you have browsed through the pages of this site, I think I have pretty much established myself as a person who find fascination in neighbourhood cafes. One cheap thrill that never fades to perk me up and at the same time relax me… imagine a hot latte on a bright, sunny afternoon.

Frankel, one of the posh estates in Singapore, a place that I get to love not because it is tad upscale but because I feel like I am not in Singapore when I am here for the reason that most of the houses are landed ones hence making me feel that I am just back in my country home, where HDBs and condos are not really the usual mode of residence.

I got to discover this place while I was on Uber car, the strip of cozy food place and cafes got me interested. I saw Dutch Colony and googled it straight away and most of the hits that I got mention that it’s one of those that serve quality coffee.

I love the interior of this cafe.. casual, communal, very inviting, nothing much going on but a place to just sit down and sip a latte and converse with friends and families. On all the occassions that I went, it was normally crowded.

I tried their cappuccino and latte, I wanted to try their brewed coffee by steampunk apparently that time I visited, I think it wasn’t available or something like it was not working at the moment. For those two, the quality of the coffee is really there. I love their type of brew as it is very bold, not too acidic, chocolatey. This is the kind that I am in love with.

As for the food, they offer very limited ones. Only few pastries and cakes.

The sea salt caramel cake was quite nice, not too sweet and not too dry which is the exact opposite of the Thai Milk tea loaf. I do not recommend ordering this, it was really very dry, the quality is not there and I can’t really taste the thai milk tea that was supposed to be.

Spinach and Salmon Quiche SGD 7.00

The spinach and salmon quiche was just average likewise for the pain au chocolate. I think if I would have to recommend this place it would be their coffee and the place. Their iced variations were also good, below are Iced Mocha and Iced Latte. Accessibility wise though, I think would be best to drive here by car.

I am someone who absolutely loves coffee, and someone who is so fascinated by the cheap thrill that the cafes and coffee nooks can bring. I fancy walking around and just accidentally spotting an inviting cafe which I just couldn’t resist and I have to give in. That said, I found this humble nook that offers affordable prices. In addition, the place is simple yet inviting but has a bit of a character to it.

Ahh.. this is just one of the days that I enjoy, when most people are working and I am lazing around sipping a latte devoid of any pressures that work sometimes could bring. =))

Yes, I love coffee but there are specific brew that I only superbly enjoy. And this one here definitely gets into the list of my new favourites in Singapore. 🙂

Hiding at one of the floors of the tranquil One Raffles Place is Three Cups Coffee. The cafe boasts of the recently becoming ambience fad that is vintage and quaint. I feel that their brew is a full bodied, strong but less acidic type. The place is a good avenue for some post lunch, mid-day or after dinner catch ups.

I like the name, it’s a bit catchy for me. Something interesting. To add, when you reach and see the place, it is those straight forward ones – modern, minimalistic and quaint, may I say. Browns, wooden tables and concrete floors – you would also notice their long, continuous table which depicts that it is communal, as the guy said, it is for sharing. So, as much as we wanted to grab one of those isolated tables by the far end, he insisted and directed us to this table. I have been here on two occasions and normally just ordered nibbles, desserts and coffee.

I also like their choice for wall decals, still very much associated to the concept and name of the place. As how the setting is, the menu is pretty simple and straight forward as well. Nothing too fancy going on, just a one pager menu.

Not only are those wall decals exuding wit, the same goes for their paper place mats.

They have a shelf of table items that they sell, I think. Paper plates, cups and cutleries as well as fancy table napkins.

As my friend and me were both so full at that time, we decided to just get some drinks and a snack platter.

Truffle Fries was disappointing, I think they held back on infusing truffle oil into the fries and did not put a generous amount to yield that Truffle flavour. Truffle chicken bites were the same, it was just like normal chicken bites. Spicy wings was average and Ebiko mussels just quite alright. I think only the sauce saved the platter, lol. It was really a nice dipping sauce.

Virgin Mojito Sorbet and Iced Mocha

Virgin Mojito Sorbet was really really sour and since it was a mocktail, I thought they would somehow put it in a glass, a bigger one, but they just put the drink on this cocktail glass which was an acceptable serving when you are drinking something alcoholic. But come on, since it was a mocktail, they should have just put it in a normal beverage glass as it is meant for normal drinking. My friend’s Iced Mocha is alright though. I also ordered a Long black, I must say the brew was quite good.

In my previous visit, I was able to try their Sea Salt Chocolate Caramel Tart which was really not that good, they shouldn’t even put in “sea salt” or “caramel” to it as it did not yield that flavour at all. Their Rum Infused Cream Brulee was average and nothing to brag about.

Oh, I cannot pass up the chance to mention this one particular crew there, which was like always hurrying up in taking orders, getting us seated and cleaning up our food. We were still chatting and he can see that there was still food left when he came in and his hands were on the platter already and just took our food without even asking politely if we are done. We also asked for our bill and he seemed to have forgotten about it, to think there was not much people when we were there. He was that guy who was there even in my first visit, the uncle looking one, I think in his 50s. He wasn’t very friendly. But the younger crews were alright.

Overall, I think I can only go back to Table Manners for coffee as I liked their roast, and maybe take Instagram photos? OR, maybe try their main course meals.

I am not a fan of Awfully Chocolate desserts in Singapore, I find that it is overrated and ordinary and really pricey, most especially their most hailed chocolate cake. I find that it is very similar to the cheapo Goldilocks cake roll back home. :)) But, I have passed by an Awfully Chocolate restaurant in Katong for a number of times and I wondered what food do they offer. And to add that their location is quite strategic – perched on a corner by the main road, on a lane of several cafes and bars. Oh, may I say that I cultivated this addiction towards Truffles Fries recently? Gahhhh, I think I have been eating twice in a week once I find a good restaurant rave about that nibble. On most sites, they mention Awfully Chocolate as having one of the good truffle fries out there. So I can’t pass that up. =P Me and my friend went ahead as she had not been in the area yet.

The interior is modern, minimalistic type. With bare concrete floors and browns and off whites overall. It yields a mellow and homely ambience where friends can audibly and heartily chatter away.

Both of us decided to take the table by the window which gave away a bit of light compared to going further in which I find very dimly lit.

Of course, first order of business.. Truffle Fries! We nibbled away once it came in and we really found it delish! I must say that it suited my truffle yearning palate and it could go into my list of the best truffle fries in Singapore. The serving, not to mention, is also money worthy. As it was dinner, we also ordered some food.

As I cannot take much meat for now, I decided to go for the salmon. The salmon itself was succulently cooked but the sauce was very heavy, filling, and overpowering, like in a couple of spoonfuls, you would want to already stop eating. Even the salmon glaze was something that I cannot understand – it was a bit sweet, tangy – I don’t know. I don’t think I will ever order that again. My friend got some pork chop and it was a thick chop, lol! They could have sliced it a bit thinner so the flavour cuts through the meat. Though I did not try it, she find it average.

Their drinks were average and we find that the serving was not very generous. We cackled when my friend’s lychee drink came in as the glass size was really tiny. LOL

Overall, I think I can come back to Ninethirty and order their fries again and maybe try out their other meals.